Workbench - Holtzapffel?

This workbench is a hodge-podge of several designs I’ve seen out there over the last few years. Once I put the twin screw face vice on it will most closely look like a Holtzapffel. It’s 80 inches long, about 35 inches tall, 30 inches deep.

I’m inherently cheap and hate making newbie mistakes with expensive wood so… the base is big box hem/fir and the top is 4 layers of MDF trimmed with poplar.

To give you an idea of how much of a Frankenstein bench it is I’ll give a list of all the sources for the parts of the design:
- Wagon vise / top joinery – Woodsmith Magazine
- Basic Base Set-up / setting top flush with legs – The Schwarz/Roubo
- Knock-down base idea – Roy Underhill’s show
- Rear tool holder slots – Woodsmith Magazine
- Leg Holes / twin screw dimensions – The Schwarz/Holtzapffel
- Square holes – Frank Klaus
- the boy in the 3rd picture… that’s me and his momma :D – Note that he’s got his plastic drill ready to help me finish up the work.

So far, I’m pretty happy with it. The bench does have a bit of a dip in the center of the MDF that i will have to take out (I planned for removing it when I added the trim – it sits a little lower so I can plane the field down). It’s a result of the MDF not being well supported while it was being glued together… I now know why all the books talk about making a dead flat level surface to build your top on.

The front 5 inches (the poplar part) are dead flat.

There were many happy accidents in the design and build of this bench. Eventually, I’ll add a tool cabinet to help manage some of the shop clutter.

It was cheap enough that I won’t feel bad about building another bench with much nicer materials in another few years (after I get through the honey do list… of course).

-- Seems that talent only gets you so far... effort makes you successful.